


The Outsiders: A Bite Can Be Deadly

by Nephilim1973



Series: Vampire Outsiders [1]
Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 22:21:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7407385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nephilim1973/pseuds/Nephilim1973
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ponyboy can trust his family and friends. But when he gets jumped by some Socs, his life gets turned around when Johnny kills a Soc; the secret come out their vampires.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My take if everyone except Ponyboy was vampires. Follows the plot of the book.

When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had two things on my mind: why the gang never came out in the sun and a ride home. I never took the time to wonder why they weren't out in the sun, it wasn't just them, it was the same with the Socs. Today was cloudy, with not a break in the clouds for a chance of sun. I have light-brown hair, almost red hair and greenish gray eyes. I wish they were more gray. The only reason I watch movies is cause I never have anything to do at the house, and my brothers Darry and Sodapop are at work. Since Mom and Dad died eight months ago, Darry hasn't been the same. We stay with Darry cause if hadn't been for him, we be in a boys home. So Soda and I stay out of trouble.

Soda and I had four other guys who we considered family: Steve, Two-bit, Dally and Johnny.

Steve, he's tall and lean, his hair was thick and greasy he kept combed back in complicated swirls. He was cocky, smart, and Soda's best buddy. Steve liked cars. He can lift a hubcap quicker than anyone else. Him and Soda worked at a gas station called the DX. Him and Soda draw women their more than honey draws flies. I liked Steve only cause him and Soda are best buddys, he doesn't like me. He thought I was a tag along and a kid. It wasn't my fault Soda always asked me, I never asked to go. Soda doesn't think I'm a kid.

Two-bit Matthews, the oldest out of everybody. But I don't believe it. He was about six feet tall, stocky in build, and very proud of his sideburns. He had gray eyes and a wide grin, and he wouldn't stop making funny jokes to save his soul. Life was one big joke to Two-bit, but you couldn't help but laugh at the guy, what he says is irresistibly funny. I liked him real well because he kept us laughing at ourselves as well as other things.

Dallas Winston or Dally, used to live in New York and been arrested at the age of ten. He had an elfish face, high cheek bones and a pointed chin. His hair was blonde, and kicked out in the back in tufts and curled behind his ears and along his neck. His eyes were ice cold blue. He hated the world and found ways to fight the law. He has a police record in the local department, he got caught for: drinking, riding in rodeos, lying, stole, cheated, and jumped kids for fun. I didn't like him but he was smart and you had to respect him.

Johnny Cade, was at least a year older than me, but he looked younger than he did. He had black eyes, dark tanned skin, and his hair was jet black, shaggy bangs fell across his forehead. He was the gangs pet, everyone's kid brother. His father was always hitting him and his mother ignored him. I think he hated that worse than his father hitting him. He would have ran away if he didn't have us to keep him here. If it wasn't for the gang, Johnny wouldn't have discovered love.

I figured out none of the gang never looked different in youth. Two-bit said it was the beer keeping him young, but you never believe anything he says. I went on walking when I saw a red Corvair trailing me.

Greasers can't walk around alone or other wise they would get jumped. We get jumped by the Socs, the west side rich kids. Its like the term we use for us boys on the east side. I was two blocks from home, deciding I went faster. Didn't do me much good though cause the five Socs were in front of me. 'How did they get there so fast,' was not so sure. They walked around me smiling.

"Hey, grease," one said. "We're gonna do you favor greaser. We're gonna cut all that long greaser hair."

He had on a madras shirt. One of them laughed, then cussed me out in a low voice. I couldn't think of anything to say. There just isn't a lot you can say while waiting to get mugged. So I kept my mouth shut.

"Need a haircut greaser?" The blonde said. He pulled out his blade. I finally thought of something, "No." I was backing up away from that knife. I bumped against the fence, and they pinned me their. The blonde held a fist full of my hair and shoved my head against the fence. A blade was held against my throat.

"How'd you like your haircut to begin below the chin?"

It occurred to me I could die. I went wild. I started to scream for Soda, Darry, anyone. One of them shoved a handkerchief in my mouth, the one holding the knife said, "Shut him up, for Pete's sake, shut him up!"

Then their were shouts a pounding of feet. I slide down, not knowing what made them leave. I was too dazed to figure it out. Darry was beside me, a hand on my shoulder. Where he come from?

"Are you all right, Ponyboy?"

To tell you the truth I didn't know. I looked at the crazed look in his eyes, lust. I felt something warm running down the side of my face. "Did they pull a blade on you ?" A familiar voice said. Soda? How did he get here so fast? Our gang chased them for three blocks, how come I didn't hear him? He saw my cut, the same look that Darry had. Lust and need.

Soda grabbed a handkerchief and put it against my head, the look in their eyes was gone. I felt a hand wipe hot tears from my face, I didn't even know I was crying. "They ain't gonna to hurt you anymore." Soda said in a soft, hushed voice. I never noticed how my brothers were so handsome.

That was when I saw the gang come back. "The kid okay?" Two-bit asked, anger in his stormy... red eyes? "I'm okay. Two-bit did you get contacts?" They all stopped when I asked the question. I looked back they were gray. "Huh, never mind." I saw Two-bit visibly relaxed. Steve glared at me. " What are you doin', walkin' around by yourself?" Leave it to good old Steve to bring that up.

"Next time get one of us to come with you, okay Pony?" Johnny sent me a cute smile. Did I just say cute? Dally spoke for the first time. "Speakin' of movies, I'm walkin' over to the Nightly Double anybody want to come?" Darry said something about work and Steve and Soda are going to the game. "Me and Johnny will come." I said. Johnny gave me a smile as I turn to Darry. "Okay, Darry?" He said, "Yeah since it ain't a school night." Dally turned to Two-bit who spoke as if reading his mind. "I was planning on getting drunk tomorrow night," Two-bit said. "If I don't, I'll come find you guys."

That night I was doing my homework, reading Great Expectations for English class. That was when Soda came in and told me to got to bed. I finished the chapter I was on. Then I crawled into bed beside Soda. "Soda can I ask you something?" He turned over to me fully awake, with worry in his eyes. "What is it, baby?" I blushed. He laughed. Two-bit said it to me one day, because I was freaking out over a stupid bee. "Don't worry, I'll save you baby!" He got a slap from me and a punch in the jaw by Darry. But that didn't stop him or the others calling me that. So after two weeks of it I would blush, which would cause a riot.

"How come Two-bit's eye's were red?" He never answered me. "He had stolen color eye contacts the other day and he wore them so he could get the ladies." Soda said. "That's what he told me."

"Yeah, but when I looked back they were gray again." Soda flipped over. "Go to sleep, Pony." He told me, so I flipped over to face the wall. I still couldn't get it out of my mind. Eye contacts? Two-bit would be bragging to everybody about his new toy, but his eyes changed on his own. He never said anything to me about it or at least let me have a clear look at them. I needed an answer and I wasn't getting one from Soda anytime soon. I didn't even want to ask Darry, he would ell me to forget all about it. No, I wanted an answer, on his eye's and the Socs new speed, and the lust filled look in Darry and Soda's eyes when I got cut. I felt Soda move and put one cold arm around my neck. It weird, it wasn't cold in the room, in fact I snuggled closer just to get cooled off. I started to make a plan. I will confront Two-bit tomorrow, if he showed up, and ask him about the contacts.

Soda laughed in his sleep, but right now I was getting sleepy. Before I fell asleep, I felt Soda get up and heard him leave the room.


	2. Chapter 2

The sky was the same as yesterday, with no chance of sun. Dally was waiting for me and Johnny under the street light at the corner of Pickett and Sutton, and since we got there early, we had time to go over to the drug store in the shopping center and goof around. We bought Cokes and blew straws at the waitress, and walked around eyeing things that were lying out in the open until the manager got wise to us and suggested we leave. He was too late though, Dally walked out with two packages of Kools under his jacket.

We crossed Sutton and out around behind Spencer's Special, the discount house, and chased two junior high kids across a field for a few minutes; by the time it was dark enough to sneak in over the back fence of the Nightly Double drive-in movies. It was the biggest in town, and showed two movies every-night, and weekends four-you could as you were going to the Nightly Double and have time to go all over town.

We had money to get in-it only cost a quarter if you're not in a car-but Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked to show that he didn't care whether there was a law or not. He went around trying to break laws. We went to the rows of seats in front of the concession stand to sit down. Nobody else was there except two girls who were sitting down front. Dally eyed them coolly, then walked down the isle and sat right behind them. I had a sick feeling that Dally was up to his old tricks and I was right. Dally could talk dirty. Johnny excused himself and went to get some popcorn.

I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed if they had been greasy girls- I might have even joined in. But those two girls weren't our kind. They were tuff looking girls, dressed sharp and really good-looking. They looked about sixteen or seventeen. One had short dark hair, the other had long red hair. The redhead was getting mad, or scared. She sat up straight and she was chewing hard on her gum.

"Take your feet of my chair and shut your trap."

Boy, was she good-looking. I'd seen her before; she was a cheerleader at my school.

Dally merely looked at her and kept his feet where they were. "Who's gonna make me?" His eyes grew darker than night, instead of blue. The other one turned around and watched us. "That's the greaser that jockeys for the Slash J sometimes," she said, as if we couldn't hear her. I heard the same tone a million times: "Greaser... greaser...greaser." Oh, yeah, I had heard that tone before too many times. What are they doing at a drive in without a car? I thought, I kept my eye out for Dallas said, "I know you two. I've seen you around rodeos."

"It's a shame you can't ride bull half as good as you can talk it," the redhead said coolly and turn back around.

That didn't bother Dally in the least. "You two barrel race, huh?"

"You'd better leave us alone," the redhead said in a biting voice, "or I'll call the cops."

"Oh my, my, my-" Dally looked bored, "you've got me scared to death. You ought to see my record sometime, baby." He grinned slyly.

"Please leave us alone," she said. "Why don't you be nice and leave us alone?"

"I'm never nice. Want a Coke?" Dally grinned roguishly. "I wouldn't drink it if I was starving in the desert. Get lost hood!" She was mad by then. Dally merely shrugged and strolled off. The girl looked at me. I was half-scared of her. I'm half-scared of all nice girls, especially Socs. "Are you going to start in on us too?"

I shook my head. "No." Suddenly she smiled, "You don't look the type. What's your name?" I looked at her boy she had cute eyes. "Ponyboy Curtis." The redhead just smiled. "That's an original and lovely name."

"My dad was an original person," I said. "I've got a brother named Sodapop, and it even says so on his birth certificate."

"My names Sherri, but my friends call me Cherry because of my hair."

"I know," I said. "You're a cheerleader. We go to the same school."

"You don't look old enough to be going to high school," the dark haired girl said.

"I'm not. I got put up a year in grade school." Cherry was looking at me. "What's a nice, smart kid like you doing running around with trash like that for?" I felt myself stiffen. "I'm a greaser, same as Dally. He's my buddy."

"I'm sorry Ponyboy," she said softly. Then she said briskly, "You're brother, Sodapop he works at a gas station? A DX, I think?"

"Yeah."

"Man, your brother is one doll. I might have guessed you was brother, you look alike." I grinned with pride. I don't think I look like a thing like Soda, but its not everyday you hear a Soc tell you that your brothers a doll, and you look like him. Johnny came back and sat down beside me. He looked for Dally, then managed a soft "hi" to the girls and tried to watch the movie. He was nervous, though, Johnny was always nervous around strangers. Cherry looked at him, sized him up as she had me. Then she smiled, and I knew she sized him up right.

Dally never came back. Maybe he was stunned on how a girl, even a Soc, could back talk him. Johnny was looking at the dark hair girl- whose name I found out was Marcia- not just her, but her neck. I was getting antsy, Johnny's stomach rumbled. "Are you hungry, Johnny?" He took his eyes off Marcia, but said a plain, old "no." His eyes were dark, but it had lust and hunger written in his eyes. That was when a cold hand was placed on my shoulder, and a deep voice said, "Okay, greasers you had it."

I looked up to see, Two-bit. He was laughing so loud, Marcia and Cherry turned around.

"Glory, Two-bit, scare us to death!" He was real good at voice imitations. I looked at Johnny. His eyes were coming in smoothed gasps. Two-bit knew better than to scare Johnny like that. I guess he'd forgotten. He's kind of scatterbrained. Johnny opened his eyes weakly. "Hey, Two-bit."

Two-bit messed up his hair. "Sorry kid," he said. "I forgot."

He climbed over the chair and plopped down behind Marcia. "Who's this, your great-aunts?"

"Great grandmothers, twice removed," Cherry said smoothly. I couldn't tell if Two-bit was drunk or not. If he was their went my plan on how he got his contacts-or eye color- at? It's kinda hard to tell with him- he acts boozed sometimes even when he's sober. He cocked one eyebrow up and the other down, which he always does when something puzzels him, or bothers him, or when he feels like saying something smart.

"Shoot, you're ninety-six if you're a day."

"I'm a night." Marcia said brightly.

Two-bit stared at her admiringly. "Brother, you're a sharp one. Where'd you two ever get to be with Pony or Johnny?" All of us shrugged.

"We're really Arabian slave traders and we're thinking about shanghaiing them. They're worth ten camels apiece at least."

"Five," Two-bit disagreed. "They don't talk Arabian, I don't think. Say something in Arabian, Johnny."

"Aw, cut it out!" Johnny broke in. I was planning on confronting him later when he asked. "Where is ol' Dally?"

"He went hunting some action, booze or dames or a fight. I hope he don't get jailed again. He just got out."

"He'll probably find the fight." Two-bit stated cheerfully. "That's why I came over. Mr. Timothy Shepard and Co. are looking for whoever so kindly slashed their car's tires, and since Curly Shepard spotted Dally doing it... well... does Dally have a blade?" He said The Shepard gang like it was apiece of bad fruit. I'd say, we don't get along with them good enough but Curly Shepard was my best buddy. So the gang accepted that, but Steve looked like he would bust my head open.

"Not that I know of," I said, picking up on the conversation. "I think he's got apiece of pipe, but he busted his blade this morning."

"Good. Tim will fight fair, if Dally don't pull a blade on him. Dally shouldn't have any trouble."

Cherry and Marcia were staring at us. "You don't believe in playing rough or anything, do you?"

"A fair fight ain't rough." Two-bit said. I looked at his eyes. They were gray instead of his contact red- if he had any- eyes. He stared at me, I couldn't help but feel so small when he or the rest look at me. I felt dizzy when I saw his pupils dilate in front of me. What was I gonna ask him?

"Yeah, boy," Cherry said sarcastically, "real simple."

"Sure," Marcia said, unconcerned." If he gets killed or something, you just bury him. No sweat."

"You dig okay, baby." Two-bit grinned and lit a cigarette. "Anyone want a weed?"

I looked at Two-bit admirly. He sure put things into words good. Cherry and Marcia shook their heads at his offering but Johnny and I reached for one, our hands touched and his hand went out so fast I thought his weed was on the ground. It wasn't. Him and Two-bit had a look on their faces, and what creeped me out, was they both looked hungry. Johnny was eyeing me like I was a fresh, cut, chicken.

"Ponyboy, will you come with me to get some popcorn?" Cherry asked. I silently thanked her, Johnny came back from his trance. I jumped up. "Sure. Y'all want some?"

"I do." Marcia said. I looked over at the others, Johnny and Two-bit looked like they were having a conversation. Two-bit had an angry look, and Johnny was pleading. If looks could kill Johnny would be ashes. Two-bit looked at me- a kind protective look- in his eyes. Protective? Against what, two Socy girls who might have a blade. Fat chance.

"Me too." said Two-bit. He flipped me a fifty-cent piece, and looked at Johnny without missing a beat. "Get Johnny some too. I'm buying." he added and sat down by my seat, away from Johnny. I was about to say something when Johnny had the same look as Two-bit.

I followed Cherry to the concession stand but, as usual, there was a lone a mile long, so we had to wait. Quite a few kids turned to look at us- you didn't see a kid greaser and a Socy cheerleader together often. Cherry didn't seem to notice.

"You're friend- the one with the sideburns- he's okay?"

"He ain't dangerous like Dallas if that's what you mean. He's okay."

She smiled and her eyes showed that her mind was on something. "Johnny... he's been hurt bad sometime, hadn't he?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Hurt and scared."

"It was the Socs," I said nervously, because there were plenty of Socs milling around and some of them were giving me funny looks as if I shouldn't be with Cherry or something. And I don't talk about it either- cause Johnny was different since that day. But I started in, talking a little faster than I normally do because I don't like to think about either.

It was almost four months ago. I had walked down to the DX station to get a bottle of pop and to see Steve and Soda, because they'll always buy me a couple of bottles and let me help work on the cars. I don't like to go on weekends because that's when their busy, with all kinds of girls down their flirting with Soda and Steve. Soda says I'll grow out of it. I did.

It was a warm spring day with the clouds covering the sky, but it was getting cold and dark by the time we started for home. We left Steve's care at the station. At the corner of our block is a wide open area, where we play football and hang out, and often a site for rumbles and fights. Steve then picked up a jacket, "Looks like Johnny forgot his jacket." He looked at it more and saw a stain the color of rust across the collar. He looked up and across the field with a stricken face. I think we all heard the low moan and saw the motionless lump on the other side of the lot.

We were used to seeing Johnny banged up- his father clobbered him around a lot. But those beatings had been nothing like this. His face was cut and bruised and swollen, and there was a wide gash from his temple to his cheekbone. His white t-shirt was splattered with blood. I just stood their, trembling with sudden cold. Steve closed his eyes for a second and muffled a groan as he dropped on his knees beside Soda.

Somehow the gang sensed what had happened. Two-bit was suddenly there beside me, and for once his comical grin was gone and his dancing eyes were stormy. Darry had seen us from the porch and ran over to us, skidding to a halt. Dally was there too, swearing under his breath, and turning away with a sick expression on his face. Dally seen people killed on the streets of New York. Why did he look sick now?

"Johnny?" Soda lifted him up and held him against his shoulder. He gave the limp body a shake.

"Soda?" came the soft reply.

"Yeah, its me," Soda said. "Don't talk. You're gonna be okay."

Johnny, between sobs, managed to tell us what happened. He been looking for out football to practice a few kicks, when a blue Mustang pulled up. Their was four Socs. They caught him and one of them had a lot of rings on his hand- that's what had cut Johnny up so badly. They had scared him. Johnny was high strung anyway a nervous wreck from getting belted every time he turned around. He had never been a coward. He stuck up for the gang and kept his mouth shut good around cops. But after that night, Johnny was jumpier than ever. Johnny who was the most law-abiding of us, now carried a six-inch switchblade in his back pocket. They had scared him that much. He would kill the next person who'd jump him. Nobody was gonna to beat him like that again. Not over his dead body... then I heard Johnny scream.

I had nearly forgot that Cherry was listening. But when I came back to reality and looked at her, I was startled to find her as white as a sheet.

"All Socs aren't like that," she said." You have to believe me, Ponyboy. Not all of us are like that."

"Sure."

"I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, West-side Socs, I'll tell you something Ponyboy, and it may as a surprise to you but things are rough all over." We went back to sit down, I sat down between Two-bit and Johnny. Johnny yawned and stretched and his arm was laying across the back of my chair.


	3. Chapter 3

After the movie it suddenly came to us that Cherry and Marcia didn't have a way to get home, Two-bit offered to walk them home, but they wanted to call their parents. Two-bit finally talked them talked them into letting us drive them home in his car. I think they were still scared of us. They were getting over it though, as we walked to Two-bit's house to get his car. It seemed funny that Socs- if these girls were an example- were just like us. I thought maybe it was the money that separated us.

"No," Cherry said slowly when I said this, "It's not money. Part of it is, but not all. You greasers have a different set of values. You're more emotional. We're sophisticated- cool to the point of not feeling anything. Nothing is for real with us. You know, sometimes I'll catch myself talking to a friend and realize I don't mean half of what I'm saying. I don't really think a beer blast on the river bottom is super-cool, but I'll rave about one to a friend just to be saying something." She smiled at me. "I never told anyone that. I think you're the first person I've ever really gotten through to."

She was coming through to me alright, probably because I was a greaser; and younger; she didn't have to keep her guard up with me.

"It seems like we're always searching for something else to satisfy us, and never finding it. Maybe if we could be our cool we could."

That was the truth. Two-bit and Marcia weren't even listening to us. They were engaged in some wild conversation that made no sense to anyone but themselves. Marcia suddenly gasped. "Cherry look what's coming."

We all looked and saw a blue Mustang coming down the street. Johnny made a small noise in his throat and when I looked at him he was white.

"Well," Cherry said resignedly, "they've spotted us."

The Mustang came to a halt beside us, and the two boys in the front seat got out. They were Socs all right. One had on a white shirt and a madras ski jacket, and the other a light-yellow shirt and a wine-colored sweater. I looked at their clothes and realized I for the first time that evening that all I had on was a pair of jeans and Soda's old navy sweat shirt with the sleeves cut short. I swallowed. Two-bit stood a protective stance in front of us, a growl escaped his throat. Not just any growl, an animalistic growl, it sound like to me. The Socs didn't even seem to see us; cause they were to busy staring at Cherry and Marcia.

Johnny was breathing funny, and I noticed him looking at the Socs hand. I remembered that Johnny got beat up by someone wearing rings, and drove a blue Mustang.

The Soc's voice broke my thoughts. "... just because we got a little drunk last time..." Cherry was mad.

"A little? You call reeling and passing out in the streets 'a little?' Bob, I told you, I'm never going out with you while you're drunk and I mean it. Too many things can happen when you're drunk. It's me or the booze."

The other Soc turned to Marcia, "Baby, you know we don't get drunk very often..." When she only gave him a cold stare he got angry. "And even if you are mad at us, that's no reason to go walking the streets with these bloodsuckers."

Two-bit took a long drag on his cigarette, Johnny slouched and hooked his thumbs in his pockets, and I gave them a confused glance. Two-bit put his elbow on Johnny's shoulder. "Who you callin' bloodsuckers?"

"Listen, greasers, we got four more of us in the back seat..."

"Then pity the backseat." Two-bit said to the sky.

"If you're looking for a fight..."

Two-bit cocked his eyebrow, but it made him look more cool. He snatched up an empty bottle, busted off the end, and gave it to me, then reached in his back pocket and flipped out his switch-blade. "Try it, pal."

"No!" Cherry cried. "Stop it!" She looked at Bob. "We'll go with ride home with you. Just wait a minute."

"Why?" Two-bit demanded, his eye's were red, again. "We ain't scared of them."

Cherry shuddered. "I can't stand fights... I can't stand them..."

I pulled her over to one side. "I couldn't use this," I said, dropping the pop bottle. "I couldn't ever cut anyone..." I had to tell her that, because I'd seen her eyes when Two-bit flicked out his switchblade.

"I know," she said quietly, "but we'd better go with them, Ponyboy... I mean... if I ever see you in the hall at school and I don't say hi, well, it's not personal or anything, but..."

"I know," I said.

"Do me a favor, Ponyboy?" She looked real serious, she glanced at Johnny and Two-bit, as they and the Socs, had some show down.

"Sure." I said.

"Stay away from them, Ponyboy." She went to got to the Mustang, then looked back at me. "I could fall in love with Dallas Winston, I just hope I don't see him again."

She left me with my mouth gaped open. The Mustang left, but Bob looked at me like I was a piece of meet. His eyes were flashing iridescent blue, and seemed to say. "Watch your back, greaser."

"Well, those were two good-lookin' girls if I ever saw any." Two-bit yawned as we sat down on the curb at the vacant lot. He took a piece of paper and tore it up. "What was that?"

"Marcia's number. Probably a phony one, too. I must have been outa my mind to ask for it." He looked at me, his eyes back to gray. "Hey, Two-bit, did you have contacts earlier?" He looked like he just saw a ghost.

"No, y'all going home?" He avoided my question all together. Something was up and I was determined to find out. "Not right now," I said. I wanted to ask Johnny about what the Socs said about 'bloodsuckers?' They never called us that.

"I don't know why I gave your that busted pop bottle," Two-bit said, getting to his feet. "You'd never used it."

"Maybe I would." I said.

Two-bit walked away so Johnny and I layed down to stair at the stars.

"Johnny, can I ask you a question?" He looked at me. "What is it?" I turned to look at him, his eyes danced with concerned. "What do you think the Soc said about us being bloodsuckers?" He stiffen at the question.

"I didn't hear him say it, Pony. I think you were hearing things. He called us greasers." He looked me straight in the eyes, I wanted to tell Johnny that I heard what I heard, but I just felt so dizzy. I closed my eyes to shake off the confusion, but they never opened, instead I had a weird dream.

I was in the country... I loved the country. I wanted to be out of towns and away from excitement. Since this is a dream, I brought Mom and Dad back to life... Mom could bake some more chocolate cakes and Dad would drive the pick-up out early to feed the cattle. Maybe Johnny could come live with us, and the rest of the gang could come out and visit on weekends. I walked in our country home, walked to the kitchen expecting the smell of chocolate cake, instead I smelled the warm scent of... blood? I looked at the kitchen floor, Mom and Dad was laying their with bite marks on they're necks, and I looked up and Johnny had fangs with blood on his mouth. "Come Pony," He held out his hand, "Join us." The rest of the gang, even Soda and Darry, had fangs and came walking toward me chanting my name...

"Ponyboy"- Johnny was shaking me- "Ponyboy, wake up."

I sat up, shivering, I don't know if it was from the dream or the cold air. The stars had moved. "Glory, what time is it?"

"I don't know I went to sleep, too. Listen you'd better get home, I think I'll stay out here." Johnny's parents never really cared if he came home or not.

"Okay," I yawned. Gosh but it was cold. "If you get cold or something come on over to my house."

"Okay." I ran home trembling at the thought of facing Darry. The porch light was on. Maybe they were asleep and I could sneak in, I thought. I peeked in the window. Sodapop was stretched out on the sofa, and Darry was in the armchair under the lamp, reading the newspaper. I gulped, and opened the door softly. Darry looked up from his paper. He was on his feet in a second. I stood there, chewing on my fingernail.

"Where the heck have you been, do you know what time it is?" He was madder than I'd seen him in a long time. I shook my head wordlessly. "Well, it's two in the morning, kiddo. Another hour and I would have had the police out after you. Where have you been, Ponyboy?" It sounded stupid to me when I stammered, "I... I fell asleep in the lot.."

"You what? Did it occur to you that your brothers might be worrying about you and afraid to call the cops because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so fast it would make your head spin." Soda decided to intervene before things got to messy. "Come on, Darry, leave him alone and lets go to bed." Darry spun on Soda now. "Shut up, I'm sick and tired of you sticking up for him!" I felt hot tears of anger and frustration rising. "Leave him alone!" I yelled.

Darry spun back to me, his eyes were red, and animalistic growl escaped his throat, and his canines grew. Darry threw me so hard, I slammed against the door breaking it off its hinges. It was deathly quiet. Darry's eyes were normal color, but his teeth never shrank as he stared at his hands and the broken door that I was laying on. I think what scared him more was the was I was scared of him, my eyes were ide but moist- with tears. "Ponyboy..." He reached for me, but I got up and ran down the street. "Ponyboy, I didn't mean to!" Darry screamed. I was running away. It was plain to me that the guys were some sorta monster. The signs were all there: can't go out in the sun, lust for blood, hypnosis, fangs, and red eyes. They were vampires. How did I not see this before, maybe Darry was right, I don't use my head.


	4. Chapter 4

I ran until I was in the park.

The park was about two blocks square, with a fountain in the middle and a small swimming pool for the little kids. The pool was empty now in the fall, but the fountain was going merely. Tall elm trees made the park shadowy and dark, and it would have been a good hangout, but we preferred out vacant lot, and the Shepard gang liked the alleys down by the tracks, so the park was left to lovers and little kids.

As I was walking, I thought what else the guys were hiding. I was scared to think of the day I got jumped. Those Socs were vampires, they were looking for blood. And it would explain why the gang was their when I called them. Even tonight, when Cherry mentioned that I should stay away from Johnny and Two-bit. And Bob the Soc eyes were blue, even when Johnny put me to sleep.

A voice came from behind me.

"Ain't you about to freeze to death, Pony?" I turned around to find Johnny.

I screamed. He made a move to grab me, but I backed away.

"I know what you are. You, and the guys, are vampires." He was in front of me in an instant. I then realized I was in danger, he back me against the fountain. "Do you realize what you done to us, even to you? Pony, you know what we are, you are in danger. The Socs will kill you for finding out." This was all so hard to take in, my best friend was a vampire.

He stiffened, he stood in front of me.

"What's wrong, Johnny?" He pointed to the shadows.

Five Socs were coming straight at us, and from the way they were staggering I figured they were reeling pickled. That scared me. A cool deadly bluff could sometimes shake hem off, but not if they outnumbered you five to two and were drunk; Johnny's hand went to his back pocket and I remembered his switchblade. How was that going to protect us against five drunk Soc vampires? Johnny had a blank, tough look on his face- you'd have to know him to see the panic look in his eyes.

It was Randy and Bob and three other Soc vampires, and they recognized us. I wonder if they knew Johnny was a vampire? Maybe he had a special smell or something, to me he smelled like Johnny.

"Hey, whatta ya know?" Bob said a little unsteadily, "here's the little bloodsuckers that picked up our girls. Hey, greasers."

"You're outta your territory," Johnny warned in a low growl. "You'd better watch it."

Randy swore at us and they stepped in closer, Bob was eyeing me. "Nup, pal, yer the ones who'd better watch it." Randy stepped closer. I didn't like the look's Bob kept giving me. I guess Johnny sensed this too, he looked at Bob furiously, while Bob like his sharp canines.

"You know what a greaser is?" Bob asked. "White trash with long hair."

I felt the blood drain from my face, nothing hit me that hard like that did. "You know what a Soc is?" I said, my voice shaking with rage. "White trash with Mustangs and madras." And then, because I had nothing else to say bad about them, I spit at them.

Johnny looked at me like I dared the most dangerous predator. Bob shook his head, smiling, revealing those sharp fangs. "You know, guys? I feel hungry, and we got a great appetizer right here. Hold the kid down, David."

The boy, David, pushed Johnny with enough force to send him on the other side of the lot. I got the wind kicked out of me, David held me down, by having my head bent back, revealing my neck. The others had held me down by my wrists, ankles, and waist. Bob licked the spot on my neck where he suited and bit down, it was painful.

I struggled, but they held me down, I started seeing black dots and my heart was slowing down. I silently said my goodbyes to the gang, my brothers, and more importantly Johnny. Who'd I never get to share my feelings with. I was also ready to see Mom and Dad again, I heard a growl and teeth detached from my neck. I blacked out for a long time.

I woke up to the sound of Hank Williams- who likes him anymore. Only one person likes him- it was Buck Merril- it was still dark out so Johnny would be up, I sat up slowly and saw the door was cracked open, two people were arguing, Dally and Johnny. Johnny took me to Dally, who was at Buck Merril's to drink beer, or in his case blood, and Buck's had a lot of girls to sink his teeth into. I looked around, I was laying in bed, the wooden night stand with a lamp- which was on- had several beer cans. The floor had clothes- both male and female- now the voices were coming inside the room.

"Pony got bit by a Soc!" Dally's voice echoed in the silent room.

"I got him off Pony, before he killed him. The only thing bad about it was, I killed the Soc!" Johnny raged on about what happened that night.

I let my mind slip into dreamland as I thought about Johnny. An innocent kid, like Johnny, well a vampire, killed a Soc, who bit his best friend. Normal Johnny would never hurt a fly, but vampire Johnny would, just to protect from another vampire.

I came back to the living to see red eyes looking at me, I jumped and my hands went to my neck. Not bite mark?

Dally smirked, "No bite mark, 'cause it heals when were done with our meal." He smiled, showed his set of fangs and went downstairs and back again with a roll of cash.

"Pony, do Darry and Soda know that you know," he gestured to him and Johnny, "being vampires?"

I told him everything about what happened, that moment in my life, I would like to start over. I wanted to start over to the fact I didn't see Darry as a vampire, and the incident in the park. Dally smiled like he knew this would happen, Dally handed Johnny a gun.

"Careful, its loaded, just in case you run into any badies to where your going." Dally lit a cigarette and handed it to me.

I took a long drag on it.

"Where we going?" I asked. "Are you coming with us?"

He shook his head, "No," he huddled us together. "Hop the three-fifteen freight train to Windrixville, there's an old abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain. There's a pump in the back so don't worry about water. Johnny, buy a week supply of food for Pony, and don't do anything that will make Darry kill you! I want you guys to go tonight, before the story comes up. And I will be there as fast, as the story goes down."

Johnny got up and walked down the stairs, Dally pulled me back. "Kid, don't give Johnny a single drop of your blood. If you do it would send him into a feeding frenzy," he stood up, grabbed something from his back pocket, and handed it to me.

"Dally, what is this?" He helped me put it on, and hid it in my shirt. "Its called a Evangel Charm, it won't let a vampire control you or hurt you, but if you lose it, you're in trouble." I followed Dally to were Johnny was.

"Did you ever want to know what it's like to be a speeding bullet?" He smiled at me. "Of course," I said, hoarsely, "why?"

He gave me a grin and he was gone.

I held onto Johnny's neck so tight as the world around me swirled in and out. I felt like I was floating on air. The next image I saw was box cars. Johnny put me down, but had to help me steady myself as we sat down in the car. I was so tired, but every time I closed my eyes I'd see Bob again. His big red eyes seem to glow with hunger as he opened his mouth to bite me.

I touched the Evangel Charm that Dally gave me. It looked like a black stone, but had three lines running down the middle. I layed down, thankful for Johnny being there. He let me put my head on his lap, but I was tired, I didn't care.

I was hardly awake when Johnny and I leaped off the train, vampire style, into a meadow. The dew woke me up.

"Now how do we find Jay Mountain?" I asked but Johnny disappeared. I wondered if he did go ask someone. He came back, but before I could ask where he went, he pulled me on his back and the swirling of colors came back. We got on top of Jay Mountain in record time, the church looked old, a few of the doors were boarded up, and Johnny broke into the church with a fast pace.

"Johnny?" He looked at me, clearly tired. "Why were you in such a hurry to get in here?" He pointed toward the horizon, the sun was coming up and this time, there were no clouds. He sat against the wall that was facing the sun, and soon fell asleep.

I stayed up to watch the sunrise, thinking is Johnny missed looking at the sun or sunsets. I guess vampires could go into churches seeing as Johnny didn't exploded into a million pieces.

He smiled as I sat down beside him, I tried to get warm but he was cold. "Man, the floor sure is hard, though."

He laughed at me, the first time in four months.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up late in the afternoon. For a second I didn't know where I was. You know how it is, when you wake up in a strange place and wonder where you are, until your memory comes back like a wave. I half convinced myself that I had dreamed everything that had happened the night before. I'm really home in bed, I thought. It's late and both Darry and Soda will come in and tickle me until I think I'll die if they don't stop. It's me and Soda's turn to do dishes, and after the gang will come over and we'll go to the lot and play football. Darry would be on mine and Johnny's side since were so small. I tried telling myself that while I lay on the cold rock floor, wrapped in Dally's jacket and listening to the wind rushing through the trees' dry leaves.

Finally I quit pretending and pushed myself up. I was stiff and sore from sleeping on the hard floor. Suddenly, I realized that Johnny was missing.

"Johnny!" I called loudly, the church echoed me. I looked around wildly, almost panic stricken, but then caught sight of some crooked lettering written in the dust on the floor. 'Went to get supplies, be back soon. J.C.'

I sighed and went to the pump to get a drink of water. The water from the pump was like liquid ice and it tasted funny, but it was water. After I was done, I sat on the back steps of the church. The hill the church was on dropped off suddenly about twenty feet from the back door, and you could see for miles and miles. It was like sitting on the top of the world.

I sat there still wondering if I was crazy the night before or not, maybe it was my crazy imagination. But now that I thought a good bit, it was all real, everyone was a vampire.

I heard someone coming up through the dead leaves toward the back of the church, and I ducked inside the door. Then I heard a low whistle, long and low, ending in a sudden high note. I knew that whistle well enough. It was used by the Shepard gang for "Who's there?" I returned it carefully, then darted out the door so fast that I fell of the steps and sprawled flat under Johnny's nose. I got up and checked myself for scraps or cuts. Nope, not one in sight.

He had a package that seemed heavy, but I forgot. Johnny didn't need help with it cause he got super human strength. "What's did you get?"

"Come on, inside. The sun is about to come out."

We went in. Johnny dusted off a table with his jacket and started taking things out of the sack and lining them up neatly. "A week's supply of baloney, two loaves of bread, a box of matches..." Johnny went on.

I got tired of watching him do it all, so I started digging into the sack myself. I pulled out a paperback copy of 'Gone with the Wind.' "How'd you know I always wanted one?"

Johnny reddened. "I remembered you sayin' something about it. And me and you went to see the movie, 'member? I thought you could read out loud to help kill time."

"Gee, thanks." I put the book down reluctantly. I wanted to start right then. "Peroxide? A deck of cards..." Suddenly I realized something, "Johnny, you ain't thinking of..."

Johnny sat down and pulled out his knife. "We're gonna cut our hair, and you're gonna bleach yours." He looked down at the ground. "They'll have our descriptions in the paper. We can't fit them."

"Oh, no," My hands flew to my hair, "Don't Johnny!"

I looked at Johnny imploringly. Johnny sighed. "I'm going to cut mine, too and wash the grease out, but I can't bleach it. I'm too dark-skinned to look okay blonde. Oh, come on, Ponyboy," he pleaded. "It'll grow back!"

"Okay," I said wide-eyed. "Get it over with."

Finally, it was over with. "Can I see now?"

"No, Ponyboy we got to bleach it first." He grabbed the bottle and put some in my hair.

After I sat in the sun for fifteen minutes to dry the bleach, I came back inside when Johnny called me. He handed me a old cracked mirror. "Gee, this really makes me look tuff." I said, miserably. I looked like a blasted pansy. It made my neck show more, that scared me. I wondered how Johnny was getting food?

"Alright," he handed me his blade, "get your jolly's."

I smirked. "My pleasure."

I sawed through his hair. After a few minutes later he didn't look like Johnny. I could see his eyebrows, he washed his hair with soap. I sat beside as he dried his hair with Dally's jacket. The sun was about to set. "Johnny, when do you feed?" I asked. He looked at me, he had a contemplative look like he wanted to tell me, but whether he not.

"I feed when I want, but it depends on when I'm hungry." He looked at the ground. I heard a deep rumble and realized it was Johnny's stomach. He looked at my neck, he slowly started toward me, I was wondering when the charm was going to work. Johnny was real close to my neck when he pulled back and gasped. He had a pained expression on his face. "Pony, why do you smell like a... dog?"

He got up, and stormed into the church, what was he doing? "I'm making you a bed, what does it look like I'm doing?" He snapped. The sun finally set and I walked in the church and layed down where Johnny made me a spot. "I'll be back, I got to go out and eat, but I want you to stay here. I promise I'll be back." He finally calmed down, the last thing I saw was Johnny giving me a look bye and I fell sleep.

I woke up when Johnny came back. His eyes were red, but his fangs and lips were covered with it. His clothes had holes, ripped up so that pieces of thread were holding it, some blood spots here and there, but what had me concerned was the way Johnny was looking at me.

"You always see a baby take a step, and sometimes they fall down," he said, looking at the floor. "But sometimes they keep going." I replied.

"That's what its like for me. Take one uneasy step, you live with it for life. Pony, I can't stand you being here, not that I don't like you but you make it harder for me to resist." He was crying right then. "You should go home. You didn't kill that Soc. I should kill myself."

"No!" I screamed. "I'm not letting you die, and I'm certainly not leaving you by yourself. Look..." I grabbed hold of the charm. "Dally gave me this, you won't hurt me," I stepped close, he didn't move away or try to escape. "I trust you."

The smile on his face was even handsome, I missed. He pulled me to him and he hugged me.

"We're going to be okay." He whispered in my ear. And I knew we would be okay, we could take whatever was coming now.

The next four or five days were the longest day's of my life. The church was colder than ever. When I woke up, it was earlier than I usually do, but I saw something that stopped my heart. On the horizon I saw the sun ready to rise, I grabbed Johnny's jacket and put around me as I sat down on the back steps. All the lower valley was covered with mist, and sometimes little pieces broke off and floated away in small clouds. The sky was lighter in the east, and the horizon was a thin line. The clouds changed from gray to pink, and the mist was touched with gold. There was a silent moment when everything held it's breath, and then the sun rose.

It was beautiful. All that mist was real pretty, all gold and silver, wished it would it stayed like that all the time. Then I remembered a poem:

"Nature's first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold,  
Her early leaf's a flower;  
But only so an hour,  
Then leaf subsides to leaf.  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down today,  
Nothing gold can stay."

When I came back inside, I saw Johnny staring at me. "What was that? Where'd you learn that?"

"Robert Frost wrote it. He meant more to it than I'm gettin' though." I wasn't trying to find the meaning the poet had in mind, but it eluded me. "I always remembered it because I never got what he meant by it."

"You know," Johnny said slowly, "I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about them. It seems like they were never there before." He thought for a minute. "I guess we're different." He gave me a smile, "I wasn't so sure what went through my mind yesterday, but I'm glad your here, Pony. You know I would never hurt you right?" I looked at him like he was stupid.

"I know you won't hurt me, Johnny. I know you won't." I felt his hand cup my cheek, his thumb running along my lower lip. His soft lips are the only thing that I'm focused on now. His cold breath, when we broke apart, was a comforting feeling against my warm, flushed skin. I looked him in the eyes, he finally understood. He pulled me down so I was laying on top of him, "I love you, Pony."

"I love you, too Johnny." I fell asleep in his arms, safe and not alone.


	6. Chapter 6

A toe nudged me in the ribs. "Glory," said a rough but familiar voice, "I have never seen a lovely couple in my life."

Johnny stood in front of me, growling but stopped when he saw it was Dally, "Hey, Dally!"

"Hey, Ponyboy!" He grinned at me, "Or should I say Juliet?"

I never thought I'd see the day when I would be so glad to see Dallas Winston, but right then he meant one thing: contact with the outside world. And it suddenly became real and vital.

"How's Sodapop? Are the fuzz after us? Is Darry all right? Do the boys know where we are? What..."

"Hold on, kid," Dally broke in. "I can't answer everything at once. You want to get something to eat, Pony? I'm about starved." Dally licked his lips. I shuddered.

"Is it safe to go out?" I asked eagerly.

"Yep," Dally searched his shirt pocket for a cigarette, and finding none, said, "Gotta cancer stick, Johnnycake?"

Johnny tossed him a whole package.

"The fuzz won't be lookin' for you around here," Dally said, lightening up. "They think you're lit out for Texas, I may have used a little persuasion, but they are lookin' for you down there. I've got Buck's T-Bird parked down the road a little way. Ponyboy, I got you a letter, its from Sodapop." He unfold a piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to me.

"From Soda?"

"No the President, of course, stupid. He came over to Buck's a couple of days ago asking where you were. I told him I didn't know where you were, but he didn't believe me. He gave me this letter and half his pay check to give you. Kid, you ought to see Darry. He's takin' this mighty hard..." I wasn't listening. I learned back against the side of the church and read:

Ponyboy,  
Well I guess you got into some trouble. Darry and I nearly went nuts when you ran out like that. Darry is awful sorry he scared you. I guess you know what we are now. We got scared when the police said there was a dead kid in the park. We were sure glad that it wasn't you. And when we also found out that you and Johnny ran away and Dally got hauled in it didn't surprise us. I just wish that you guys would come home, Dally made sure the police didn't go after you. Take care and say hi to Johnny for us, and please come home when Dally gets you. We got a lot to talk about.

Sodapop Curtis.

He could improve his spelling and grammar, I thought after reading it through three or four times. He lit a cigarette and gave me a sly smile, "Kid, I swear it don't look like you with your hair all cut off. It used to look tuff. You and Soda had the coolest- lookin' hair in town."

"Do you want somethin' to eat or not?"

I leaped up. "You'd better believe it."

"Gee," Johnny said wistfully, "it sure be good to get into a car again."

"Well," Dally drawled. "I'll give you a ride for your money."

Dally always did like to drive fast, as if he didn't care whether he got where he was going or not, and we came down the red dirt road off Jay Mountain doing eighty-five. I like driving fast driving and Johnny was crazy about drag races, but we both got a little sick around the gills when Dally took a corner on two wheels with the brakes screaming. I held onto Johnny, and blushed when I realized this. Johnny just smiled.

We stopped at Dairy Queen and the first thing I got was a Pepsi, barbecue sandwiches and a banana split.

"Glory," Dally said, amazed, watching me gulp the stiff down. "You don't need to make like every mouthful's your last. I got plenty of money. And I thought I was hungry."

"I didn't tell y'all something," Dally said, he looked around the parking lot making sure no one overheard, "The Socs and us are having an all out war fare all over the city. That kid you killed had plenty of friends and all over town its Soc against Greaser."

"They want to go to war, Soc against grease?" I said, as I swallowed my banana split.

"Yeah," Dally started the car, "we've need to go back. Darry wants to see yay and we need to talk about you and Johnny's relationship."

Johnny and I blushed crazy, but Dally didn't need to laugh at us.

We were pulling out of the parking lot and started home, halfway through the trip I fell asleep against Johnny, my head laying in the crook of his neck. His arm pulled me closer to him.

I woke up to the car coming to a halt. I saw it was dark, so the guys would be awake. The stars were scattered everywhere, and my porch light was on. Two figures were standing on the porch, Soda ran to me, gave me a bear hug and swung me around. Finally he put me down and looked at me. He pushed my hair back. "Oh, Pony, your hair... your tuff, tuff hair..."

Then I saw Darry. He was leaning in the doorway, wearing his olive jeans and black T-shirt. He was still tall, broad-shouldered Darry; but his fists were jammed in his pockets and his eyes were pleading. I simply looked at him. He swallowed and said in a husky voice, "Ponyboy..."

"Darry!" I screamed and the next thing I knew I had him around the waist and was squeezing him.

"Darry" I said, "I'm sorry..."

He was stroking my hair and I could hear the sobs racking him as he fought to keep back the tears. "Oh, Pony, I thought we'd lost you... like we did Mom and Dad..."

That was his silent fear then- of losing another person he loved. I remembered how close he and Dad had been, and I wondered how I could ever think of him as a monster. I felt Soda coming up to hug us both. Darry wrapped both of us in his arms, never planning on letting go. I had taken the long way around, but I was finally home. To stay.

Now, here we were, on the couch ready for Darry to start talking.

"Pony, you and Johnny can be together. You both have mine and Soda's blessing." Soda nodded, hugging his younger brother and smiling when his face light up. "But Johnny, if we see you feeding from him, I'm banning you from Pony and the house." He turned to me next. "Now you," I was nervous and the anxiety in the room was killing me, "you must always wear that charm at all times. With the rumble planned you are not aloud to leave this house when the sun is down or hidden by the clouds. And if you have to, take me either me or Dally or Two-bit, cause we're stronger than the others. So please try not to go anywhere for now." I guess they could sense my fear, Johnny grabbed my hand and gave it a soft squeeze. I looked at him and smiled at him.

"Johnny, I guess you and Dally need to go feed, so I'll set up your beds so when you get back you can rest. Him and Dally went toward the door, Johnny gave me a soft smile then left with Dally. I felt terrible, I knew something was going to happen, "You feeling alright?" Soda asked, his eyes were looking at me with concern. "Yeah," I said. "I'm just tired."

We went to our room, I crawled in and he was poking me in the side. "What?" I almost shouted.

"Don't go making babies you hear!" He laughed as my face got hot. I soon went to sleep. I forgotten how soft a bed really was.


	7. Chapter 7

I was the first one up the next morning. Soda must have pulled my shoes and shirt off for me; I was still wearing my jeans. I got up and pulled the curtain closed I went to take a shower. The water felt good on my skin. The scars from the attack were still there, but slowly healing. I always wondered if Johnny still has his scars. After my shower I put on some clean clothes and spent five minutes or so hunting for a hint of beard on my face and mourning over my hair.

"Anybody home?" a familiar voice called through the front screen, and Two-bit and Steve came in followed by Johnny.

We always just stick our heads into each other's houses and holler "Hey" and walk in. Our front door is always unlocked in case our boys is hacked off at his parents and gets too drunk to make it home. I was usually Steve who we find stretched out on the sofa. Or it might be Dally, who lived anywhere he could. Once we found Tim Shepard, leader of the Shepard gang far from his turf, reading the morning paper in the armchair. He merely looked up, said "Hey" and strolled out.

Now that I know that vampire's exist I'm scared that the Socs will come waltz in and out at whim. And Tim Shepard is a leader of vamps and sat in Darry's favorite chair, reading the paper like nothing was out of the ordinary. That scared me more than any other Soc will.

"In here!" I yelled, forgetting that they had supernatural hearing. "Don't slam the door."

They slammed the door anyway, and Two-bit came running into the kitchen, a blur he caught me by the upper arms and swung me around ignoring the fact that I had two uncooked eggs in my hand.

"Hey, Ponyboy," he cried gleefully, "long time no see."

You would have thought it had been five years instead of five days since I'd seen him last, but I didn't mind. I like ol' Two-bit; he's a good buddy to have. He spun me into Steve, who gave me a playful slap on my back and shoved me across the room. Johnny, who walked in behind them, caught me before I hit the table. One of the eggs went flying. It landed on the clock and I tightened my grip on the other one, so that it crushed and ran all over my hand.

"Now look what you did," I griped. "There went my breakfast. Can't you two wait till I set the eggs down before you go shovin' me all over the country?" I really was a little mad, because I had just realized how long it had been since I'd eaten anything.

"Thanks for catching me Johnny." He let me go and Two-bit and Steve looked at us. "I already know what you guys are so..." I trailed off as I saw Steve lick his extended canines.

Two-bit was walking in a slow circle around me, and I sighed because I knew what was coming.

"Man, dig baldy here!" He was starring at my head as he circled me. "I wouldn't have believed it. I thought all the wild Indians in Oklahoma had been tamed. What little squaw's got that tuff-lookin' mop of yours, Ponyboy?"

"Aw, lay off him." Johnny said.

Steve looked around. "Where's Soda and Superman?"

That was as far as he got, because Darry; shaved and dressed, came in behind Steve and lifted him up off the floor, then dropped him. We all call Darry "Superman" or "Muscles" at one time or another; but one time Steve made the mistake of referring to him as "all brawn and no brains" and Darry almost shattered Steve's jaw. I'd never seen Soda mad at Steve.

Soda came running in. "Where's that blue shirt I washed yesterday?" He took a look at Steve on the floor, grinning.

"Hate to tell you, buddy," Steve said, still flat on the floor, "but you have to wear clothes to work. There's a law or something."

"Oh, yeah," Soda said. "Where's my jeans, too?"

"I ironed them. They're in my closet." Darry said. "Hurry up, you're going to be late."

Soda ran back to the room, with Steve following him and in a second there was the general racket of a pillow fight.

Darry was about to say something to me when I sat next to Johnny who put his arm around me, when Soda and Steve came back into the room. "You know what?" Sodapop said to no one in particular. "When we stomp the Socs good, me and Stevie here are gonna throw a big party and we'll go chase the Socs clear to Mexico."

"Where you gonna get the dough, little man?" Darry said handing me a piece of chocolate cake to me from the fridge.

"I'll think of something!" Sodapop said while putting on his pants.

"We'd better get to work. I hate to leave you by yourself, Ponyboy," Darry said slowly, "Maybe I ought to take the day off."

"I've stayed by my lonesome before. You can't afford a day off."

"Yeah, but you just got back and I really ought to stay..."

"I'll baby-sit him," Two-bit said, ducking as I took a swing at him. "I haven't got anything better to do."

"Why don't you get a job?" Steve said. "Ever consider working for a living?"

"Work?" Two-bit was aghast. "And ruin my rep? I wouldn't be baby-sittin' the kid here if I knew of some good day-nursery open on Saturday's."

I stuck my tongue out at him childishly, Darry looked at me sternly.

He was pulling on his jacket. "You two do up the dishes. You can go to the movies if you want, but Two-bit you keep on eye out for Socs. The sun is supposed to be out sometime today so be sure you guys get back. Johnny, you and Dally go hunting will the sun is still out." He went for the door but stopped and turned to me. "You smoke more than a pack today and I'll skin you. Understand?"

He grinned at me. "Yeah. See y'all this afternoon."

"Bye," I said. I heard our Ford's 'vrrrrooom' and thought Soda's driving. And they left.

Johnny gave me a hug and went toward the door. "Where you going, Johnny?" He turned toward me.

"I'm going to go get Dally and we'll go hunting, then we'll catch up with you guys back here." He gave me a kiss on the lips, which were soft but pulled away. "See you soon, love you Ponyboy." I smiled, a felt a blush appear on my face, "Love you too, Johnny."

He was gone. I got up and started on the dishes when Two-bit asked me a question. "You and Johnny are a thing? I'm glad you guys finally got together," I looked at him, he had a smile on his face but a look in his eyes, "don't go makin' babies you here." He laughed at me when he made me blush. When we finished, I put on the Evangel Charm and we headed for Tenth Street. The sky was cloudy. But not for long.

"I would drive us," Two-bit said as we walked up the street trying to thumb a ride, "but the breaks are out on my car. Almost killed me and Kathy the other night." He flipped the collar of his black leather jacket up to serve as a windbreak while he lit a cigarette. "You oughtta see Kathy's brother. Now there's a hood. He's so greasy he glides when he walks. He goes to the barber for an oil change, not a haircut."

I would have laughed but I saw the familiar blue Mustang that had been trailing us for eight blocks pulled in the parking lot of Tasty Freeze. I almost decided to run and Two-bit must have read my mind, for he shook his head ever so slightly and tossed me a cigarette. As I lit up, the Socs who had jumped Johnny and me at the park hopped out of the Mustang. I recognized Randy Adderson, Marcia's boyfriend, and the boy-David- who pinned me down so Bob can suck my blood. I hated them.

Two-bit put an elbow on my shoulder and leaned against me, dragging on his cigarette. "You know the rules. No jazz before the rumble," he said to the Socs.

"We know," Randy said. He looked at me. "Come here. I want to talk to you."

I glanced at Two-bit. He shrugged. I held onto the Evangel Charm as I followed Randy over to his car, out of range of the rest. I was getting nervous as we sat there in his car for a second.

"I see you have the Evangel Charm," I glanced at him. "I promise not to do anything I just want to talk."

"I'm not going to the rumble tonight." Randy said slowly.

I took a good look at him. He was seventeen or so, but he was really young, for a vampire. Cherry had said her friends were too cool to feel anything, and yet she could remember watching sunsets. Randy was supposed to be cool to feel anything and yet there was pain in his eyes.

"I'm sick of all this. Sick and tired. Bob was a good guy. He was the best buddy a guy ever had. I mean, he was a good hunter and tuff and everything, but he was a real person too. You dig?"

I nodded.

"He's dead-his mother has had a nervous breakdown. They spoiled him rotten. I mean, most parents would be proud of a kid like that- good-lookin' and smart and everything, but they gave in to him all the time. He kept trying to make someone say "No" and they never did, even with mind control. They never did. That was what he wanted. One time..."- Randy tried to grin, but I could tell he was close to tear-"one time he came home with blood on his lips. You know what they did? They thought it was something they'd done. They took all the blame and didn't do anything. I don't know why I'm telling you this."

He looked at me, as I looked down to avoid his gaze.

"And tonight... people get hurt in rumbles, maybe killed. I don't want you to fight in that rumble, you could be killed or worse get bite to let the venom kill you. Besides your bloodsuckers can't win, you know that, don't you?" And when I remained silent he went on: "You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before- at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn't prove a thing. We'll forget if you win, or if you don't. Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think its the ones in the middle that are really lucky stiffs..." He took a deep breath, I knew it was fake. "So I'd fight if I thought it'd do any good. I think I'm going to leave town. Take my little old Mustang and all the dough I can carry and get out."

"Running away won't help."

"Oh, hell, I know it," Randy half-sobbed, "but what can I do? I marked chicken if I punk out at the rumble, and I'd hate myself if I didn't, I don't know what to do."

"I'd help you if I could," I said. I remembered Cherry's voice: Things are rough all over. I knew then what she meant.

He looked at me. "No, you wouldn't. I'm a vampire. You got get bit, you would die."

"No," I said, "I would be one of you."

He just looked at me- from the way he looked he would have been ten years older than he was. I got out of the car. "You wouldn't like to be one of us," He said. "Unable to grow old, grow up, and have to live on blood without having to be exposing yourself."

I nodded. "I liked our talk."

"Thanks, grease," he said, trying to grin. Then he stopped. "I didn't mean that. I meant, thanks, kid."

"My names Ponyboy," I said. "I hope you show up at the rumble so you can fight with, us."

"If I do," he looked at me, serious look, "I better not see you at the rumble. If you do, I might not be able to control my hunger."

It sounded like a threat, but he winked at me. "Just keep that Evangel Charm on and your safe."

I walked over to Two-bit, and Randy honked for his friends to come and get into the car.

"What'd he want?" Two-bit asked. "What'd Mr. Super Soc have to say?"

"He ain't a Soc," I said, "he's just a guy. He just wanted to talk."

"You want to see a movie before we go find Johnny and Dally?"

"No," I said, lightening up another weed. Things were rough all over, but it was better that way. That way you could tell the other guy was human too.

When we got home you could tell when the sun was coming out, Two-bit was pale, he looked like he was dragging a heavy load. He had bags appear under his eyes that looked like the hadn't slept in a while. I opened the door for him and he collapsed near the TV. Dally was asleep in the recliner. Johnny was laying on the couch. "Pony, you should rest." I wanted to walk to my room, but it was too far, so I laid down near the couch. I heard the familiar sound of our Ford's car pulling in before I fell asleep. Waiting for the rumble tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up around four when Darry came in. The others were still knocked out cold. He looked tired, he drug his weight around like Two-bit did earlier. He walked into the kitchen and sat down, hearing him sigh I got up and walked in. "Hey, Darry," I greeted quietly, "can I ask you something?" He glanced up at me, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, I was just wondering if I could talk to you about the gang?" He sighed even more, he probably knew this was coming and I waited this long without asking. He looked like he planned it, but he was a little lean on me learning on how the boys I grew up with, who I considered family, got turned into vampires.

"Okay, surprised it took this long to ask, but okay. Sit down," I pulled out one of the chairs and sat in front of Darry. His eyes had bags, even more prominent than Two-bits. "I really wished that you would have asked them, but they really don't know how they ended up like this. Dally and Soda I turned, the others were a different story. All took place after Mom and Dad died. Johnny is the youngest by four months, but I want him to tell you when he's ready." He grabbed went to the fridge and got me a piece of chocolate cake and a bottle of pop. I started eating when he started telling me.

"Well, for starters I didn't turn him Soda did. I wish he didn't, he's more annoying now than he was before. But you know how Soda is, can't keep a secret to save himself. He got careless one night and Steve caught him. Thinking it was cool, Steve begged Soda to turn him. They eventually got into argument when Soda said he didn't want to ruin Steve's life. Steve then said his father did that for him. I think that struck Soda something awful. They didn't talk for three days. So on the third day, Soda went to Steve's house and said he would do it. I guess he did it to get his friend back, but..." He looked past my shoulder, probably at the two passed out greaser currently asleep in each other's arms. "Soda probably had a motive. He needed to get his mind off Sandy, though I wouldn't want to him to choose Steve."

"Two-bit got turned by Tim Shepard," I stopped eating. What? "I don't know how or why he did it, but he turned up here with a passed out and vampire Two-bit and dumped him on the couch. He got drunk and walked around town, caught sight of some Soc girls and decided to have fun. He started hitting on them and they threatened to get their boyfriends but Two-bit wasn't scared. He eventually gave up and started for home. Then a group of Socs caught him off guard, must have been vampires, but they got him to the ground and beat the daylights out of him. A kick to the head rendered him unconscious, and they dragged him to the train tracks. Tim happened to be passing by and saw him lying there. I don't know why but I was sure thankful for it, all Tim said was "Family is family." I still don't know what he meant by that?"

He got me another pop and took my plate to the sink. He started washing my plate while continuing.

"Dally got caught slashing a Socs tires. It was one of them new fancy cars, so Dally decided to get smart. The owner of the car came out and started screaming at him. He mouthed back, you know Dally, don't take crap from anyone even a Soc. Well his mouthing got wilder and this Soc had enough of it, so he started a fight with Dally. One morning I woke up with a half-dead Dallas Winston. I didn't want him to die, so I turned him. Though now that I think about it, he is more terrifying as a vampire than a human." He chuckled then looked at me. He dried his hands and rejoined me at the table.

"Soda said he would tell you himself when he got turned, but I doubt he will. Soda, Steve and I are the only ones who know how we got turned." I took a swig from my pop.

"So how'd you get turned then?"

"I got turned before Paul went to college," I remembered Paul, he used to come out to the house and they would play football in the lot. When he got offered a free scholarship to a college he got excited, but Darry was upset that he got to go cause we didn't have money. "You're not the first to love a guy, Pony. I never told you or Soda, even Mom and Dad, but we dated in our senior year. We kept it a secret and things went pretty smooth. On the day before he went to college, we got intimate and he said some things how it would make me stronger, better in everything. I believed him, so I let him turn me. I felt great the next morning, but when Paul dragged a kid around your age," He paused, tears in the corner of his eye. "I couldn't do it. I ran off, taking the kid back home and Paul left the next day, haven't seen him since."

He looked at me, "I loved Paul, and I just don't want you and Johnny to end up like we did. You getting turned and him forcing you to do something and then leaving not telling you how to live. I almost died, I so happened to cross a man trying to rob a girl and I stopped him. Drank him dry. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I promise Darry," I grabbed his hand, it was cold. The haunted look in his eyes proved all the crap Darry has been through and putting up with me. "Johnny wouldn't do that to me. He won't leave me."

"I hope so, otherwise I will hunt him down and kill him myself." He gave a soft chuckle, the old Darry before any of this happened was gone for the moment. The Darry before Mom and Dad died was back, I missed that, and he needed to laugh. I decided to get out for a quick walk. I needed to think on what I heard and maybe get some fresh air.

"Can I go out?" He looked back over my shoulder and I turned with him. Seeing past the room full of sleeping vampires, the sun was midway, coloring the sky orange.

"I don't know, maybe you need to stay the vampires maybe asleep but that doesn't mean the non-vampires are." I let out a sigh.

"Please Darry just a couple of minutes, I'll come back and wake everyone up by five thirty." Darry needed sleep and maybe I can get out of the house so he can have a well-rested sleep.

"Just be careful and if you see a Mustang or Corvair you come back home, you understand?"

I nodded and grabbed my jacket from the coat hanger and walked outside. Pulled it up to cover my neck.

I was walking over to the vacant lot when I saw a car. I was about to walk home when I saw a familiar face sitting in the car. Cherry Valance. Her hair was pinned up.

"Hi, Ponyboy," she said.

"Hi." Not in a very good mood to talk to her.

"Randy's not going to show up at the rumble."

"I know," I said, "He told me."

"He's not scared. He's just sick of the fighting. Bob..." She swallowed, then went on quietly, "Bob was his best buddy. Since grade school."

I thought of Soda and Steve. What if one of them saw the other killed? Would that make them stop fighting? Soda maybe, but not Steve. He would hunt down everyone who was involved with the incident. Maybe that's what Bob would have done if Randy was killed instead of him?

"You're a nice kid, Ponyboy. Do you realize how scarce nice kids are nowadays? Wouldn't you try to help me if you could?"

I would. I'd help her and Randy out, if I could. "Hey," I said. "Can you see the sunset real good on the West side?"

"Yeah, real good." She said.

"You can see it on the East side real good too."

"Thanks, Ponyboy." She smiled through her tears. "You dig okay."

She had green eyes.

We said our goodbyes and walked home. Thinking on how the fight was going to be like. What would the gang do if I ended up being turned or worse dead? Would they stop fighting? Would the greasers quit this stupid war between us? Maybe. Just maybe. The walk home was fast, the sun was setting and I didn't want to be caught out here.

I opened the gate of our small house. Hesitating at the steps. A thought came over me, what would happen if I did get turned? Would I get the same strength that they got? Or maybe I would just die, and leave them and Johnny here. I walked in the door and saw that Darry was nowhere to be seen, he probably in his room. Soda and Steve was laying on the floor, one arm was across Soda's waist, Steve looked happy. Dally was in the recliner still, Two-bit laid next to the TV, and Johnny asleep on the couch. Not one switch their positions.

I walked into mine and Soda's room and took off the Evangel Charm and put it on the desk. I walked back into the living room and started waking everyone up. Dally and Steve were cranky, Two-bit startled a bit, Soda just laid there still. He will eventually get up when Steve gets him up. Johnny sat up and stretched his arms. I couldn't help but notice the slip of skin showing when his shirt rode up. He smiled at me catching me looking. I sat down next to him, then he pulled me close. Our thighs were touching, his arm was around me, and I laid my head on his shoulder as we waited for Darry to wake up.


	9. Chapter 9

The rumble was set for seven, so I was making my supper I had baked. I made baked chicken, potatoes, and corn- the guys had to go outside they couldn't stand the smell. I was ready to fight. I hurriedly took a shower and changed clothes. We wanted to show them Socs we weren't trash that we were just as good as they were.

"Soda," I called from the bathroom. "When did you become a vampire?"

Soda and Steve stopped playing their poker game. Steve glanced at Soda, who was looking at the ground. "Well," he licked his lips. I could tell he was nervous as he kept glancing everywhere except at me. "Five months ago, I was walking home from work and I got jumped. Except these ones were not vampires. They held me down, one clobbering me and the others were laughing. They were chanting their buddy on, "Get the grease," and "Show him that we don't appreciate his kind walking our streets," and their personal favorite, "Stay away from Sandy." Then they finally started with the cutting. A big dark haired Soc got his knife and starting with my wrist, then he slashed my chest, stomach and before he got to my neck, I saw them run away, before I blacked out, I saw Darry's face. The next thing I know I wake up like this. Why all of a sudden do you want to know, Pony?"

"I was...curious." I really didn't have a reason actually. It was interesting to know that I lived in the dark for a long time. Now I just had to wait for Johnny to tell me.

"Pony, can I talk to you for a minute?" Darry called from the kitchen. He was tucking his shirt in his pants, the one that showed off his muscles. I sat down in one of the chairs, he took the other one. I could see from his posture that he was tired from all the stuff that's been happening lately. He rubbed his forehead then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Pony... I don't think you should fight in the rumble with us." He glanced at me.

My palms got sweaty. No, I thought, I should be in it. Right now the most important thing in my life was helping us whip the Socs. I have to be in this fight. My chest got tight and I felt like I got something lodged in my throat. It made me feel angry at Darry, I was involved in the vampire business as much as the gang. "Darry, please I have to be in it. Why do I have to stay here? I'm in this whole thing as much as the gang. "Darry, please I have to be in it. Why do I have to stay here? I'm in this whole thing as much as you guys."

"If you do go, they would be after you and we can't handle all of them at once. I'm not letting another piece of my family get taken away from me. Soda would probably go crazy and... we just got you back and I don't want you to go away." Darry said resignedly. He looked older than he really was, but he cared a whole lot about his family. I jumped up and gave him a hug. This brought me back to the night when I got home, he was scared. I was just a human, while everyone else was stronger than me, tougher than me, and faster than me.

"Besides, if things go bad I'll send Soda or Johnny over and they'll keep you safe, you hear me. I don't want you anywhere near the lot tonight." He gave me a good stern look, his ice blue eyes penetrating mine. It made me feel frozen to my seat. I gave in, "Okay, but what do I do when they come after me?" I asked.

"No one is going to get you. I'll make sure they don't." He gave me a pat on the shoulder and entered the living room. I sat there and a dark feeling grew in my gut. Something is gonna happen. Johnny came into the kitchen; the look of concern on his face was comforting. At least someone understood what I was feeling. "Hey, Darry," he called out, "I'm gonna stay here and keep Pony company." Darry looked between us then a knowing look passed over his face.

"But we need everyone we got, even with the Shepard gang, we still are outnumbered." He looked over at Dally who was watching the poker game, which turned into an arm wrestling when Steve found Soda keeping an ace up his sleeve. "But they are the strongest. Hey, has anyone seen Two-bit?" As soon as he said that, Two-bit's head peaked through the door, "Welup, I see we are in prime condition for a rumble. Is everyone ready?"

"Yeah!" Soda screamed as he did a flying somersault off the porch. Screeching like an Indian, Steve went running across the lawn in flying leaps, stopped suddenly, and flipped backward. Dally did a no-hands cartwheel off the steps. Two-bit did the same thing. Darry jumped on top the fence and did a somersault landing perfectly.

"Do vampires like to show off?" Johnny laughed. "You should see what I can do." I blushed.

"Not that way, Pony. But now that you mentioned it..." Our lips connected. His lips felt soft, his cold breath felt nice on my hot flushed face. His tongue licked along my bottom lip, the noise I made got Johnny worked up. His hands pulled me up from my chair, worked his arms around my waist as I rested my hands on his shoulder. I opened my mouth and his tongue danced with mine, I felt heat grow in my belly and it started spreading. I started losing air and I was the first to pull back. He smiled at me as my cheeks got hot. "That was wonderful, but I think you should go to bed. I'll keep a lookout."

I gave him a final kiss and walked to mine and Soda's room. I crawled into the bed instead of changing my clothes. The room felt cold, I saw that the window was open. A cold breeze came through the window and a cold chill came up my spine as I see a figure out of the corner of my eye.

I turned around quickly and the figure came out of the shadows. He was tall and he had on a school jacket, his eyes were red and his fangs came out of his mouth.

"I ain't going to hurt you if you co-operate with me and you and your friend ain't going to have problems." He smiled, his fangs showing.

Johnny came bursting through the door. Fangs out, snarling at the stranger taking his stance in front of me. "Why are you here?"

"Paul sent me here to get the human grease, to make sure those greasers listen to our demands." He looked at me and then at Johnny. "Who's Paul?" Johnny asked when I let out a gasp at the familiar name.

"Darry and Paul used to play football together. He went missing when he bit Darry, they used to love each other. I guess Paul came back to get at Darry cause he didn't bit a kid." My eyes got wide as the vampire came closer. Johnny kept pushing us back toward the open door. "Hand over the kid and I'll let him live, before Paul gets to him. Or do you want to die with him?"

Johnny let out a screech and leapt at him. I saw Johnny get slashed across the face, the other vampire pinned Johnny on the floor. Johnny got the vampire off him, but when Johnny went to attack the guy punched him and Johnny was out cold. The figure came out of hiding and I gasped. Randy Adderson. "I thought you weren't in the rumble?"

"I never said anything about fighting, just the fact of watching those greasers squirm of the thought of you being turned will make them writhe. This is not just for me, but for Bob." He held up a familiar object dangling from his hand. The Charm! I clutched my neck where it should have been, then realized I took it off when I came home.

"You should never trust a Soc, even one who knows where you live." He laughed and put the charm in his pocket and looked back at me. "Sorry, but I have to do this Ponyboy." I made a run for the door, but he flashed in front of me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. His pupils were dilated and I felt dizzy, the whole room was getting out of focus. I heard Johnny scream my name, but he was too far away for me to hear.

I woke up when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and Johnny was beside me. "Where are we Johnny?" I asked looking around the small, dark space we were in. I was being bounced around and it took a minute for me to realize we were in the trunk of Randy's Mustang.

"We are being taken to the fight. Don't know why, but I came along just so you wouldn't get hurt." Even though I couldn't see him, I heard the concern he held for me in his voice. Soon the car came to a complete stop. I could hear some sounds and footsteps walking toward the back of the car, followed by the trunk opening. Randy was smiling at us with an evil glint, but his eyes were showing something different.

A male about the same height as Randy came up beside him. The male had blonde hair and was broad shouldered. I could see now why Darry liked him.

"Hello, Ponyboy, nice to finally meet the family that Darrel talked about so much." He smiled, though it hardly seemed like a friendly smile, he had something up his sleeve. He grabbed my arm, the grip was painful I let out a whimper. Johnny made a move to grab me but Randy held him back with a growl. I was dragged out to what looked like a battlefield. Soc and Grease where either knocked out or still going at it. Clothes and sometimes teeth that still looked canine were lying on the floor. We passed a greaser who had completely lost his head, lying there dead. I hopped not one of my brothers or the guys were seriously hurt. The sounds they made were animalistic, something you would here out of a horror movie.

"Attention!" He called, and just like that the battle was postponed, all eyes were on us. Socs smirking and sending smug looks to greasers who either were being held by a Soc, or the Soc being clobbered by a greaser. "Darrel I have a proposal for you. I want you and your... kind to get out of here, keep away from our women, our cars, and especially our neighborhood. We don't want to see you greasers hanging around anymore. You either forfeit this rumble or..." He threw me into the middle. I caught myself before I hit the ground. "We turn this grease into one of us." He smiled. I heard Darry curse. The guys were holding Soda and Johnny back, who had managed to escape Randy.

I stood up, but stood in the middle ready to make a break toward Darry just in case Paul tried to pull a fast one. "Leave him alone, Paul. It's me you want, just because I didn't turn that kid years ago doesn't mean you have to hold a grudge against me for so long." Paul looked furious, his eyes possibly glowed dark red. "It's not about the kid anymore." He seethed. "The fact you left and disappeared, letting me watch my kid brother die!"

I made a run for it, but Paul was faster than Darry. He grabbed me by the neck and bit down. The pain was excruciating. I fell down, my legs felt like they were on fire, the bit was even worse. The cold air was hitting it, sending a wave of pain after pain. It felt like getting burned from the inside out. The black spots were appearing around my vision. I heard multiple cars leaving, followed by Steve screaming, "WE WON!"

"Pony?" I heard Johnny, but he was fading, "Pony, can you hear me? DARRY, DALLY, SODA DO SOMETHING!" The dark was slowly claiming me. I want to tell Johnny how much all that time in the church had really meant a lot to me, being beside the boy I love was the most exciting thing that has managed to gasp, "I love you..." I heard Johnny say my name for the final time before I blacked out, the dark finally pulled me through.

The familiar sensation of waking up, I thought I was dead? The sun was shining through my room. Is this heaven? Is Mom and Dad gonna walk in the door any minute? I blinked the fuzziness out of my eyes, blinking a couple of times brought the room back to normal vision. It was my room, then all the memories from last night came over me. I went to rub my neck, feeling a bandage and groaned when the motion caused me more pain. I finally decided that I was gonna sleep a little more.

The blinds and curtains were closed suddenly. I gripped the sheet with all my might, fearing that the intruder was another Soc. "Pony?" Soda's voice came to me like a southing sound, I relaxed, letting the death grip I had on the sheets be released. I felt a wet wash rag on my hot forehead.

"Soda, am I gonna be okay?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah, you're gonna pull through like a trooper." He smiled softly.

"How long have I been out?" I felt him shift on the bed. He was hesitant to tell me. "About three or four days, give or take. The bite is extremely painful. You fell to the ground. I wanted to tear into Paul when I heard you scream like that. I'm surprise Johnny didn't reach Paul before Darry did."

"What happened after I was gone?" "Oh, the Socs retreated when you got bit. I guess they saw how mad we were and retreated. They got into their cars and drove away. Though, I doubt that will be the last time we hear of them." I was glad we won.

"Where's Johnny?" I looked around, expecting him to be near the door, or at least sitting at our desk chair.

"He went somewhere after the rumble, but he hasn't been back. I just hope he hid somewhere cause the suns out." I hope and prayed too.

"You better get some sleep, tomorrow you'll feel better." He gave me a kiss on the forehead and walked away. I laid there thinking where would Johnny go? I wish he was here. I wanted someone to talk too, maybe to erase my memory of last night. Maybe the fact I died in his arms is what scared Johnny off and that made him finally decide to leave. I felt tears run down my face before I fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun had hit my face as I walked out of school, it was going to be sunny for the next two days so I had to walk home. I kept getting strange looks at me a lot recently. The Socs didn't come near me at all and Cherry Valance never said "hi" to me at all when I saw her in the hallway.

I haven't see Johnny since the rumble, which was two days ago. I don't know when he was coming back or I finally drove him away. Johnny was the only one who understood me not any of the other guys. I was slowly getting depressed. Darry and Soda kept reassuring me that he will be back.

"Don't worry, he's probably somewhere collecting his thoughts or going hunting. I remember Steve gone for a week when I said I loved him. He came back happy and horny. Let's say that I couldn't go anywhere alone for about two weeks." That was the most awkward talk I ever had with Soda. I didn't want to hear the part about Steve but two days without Johnny felt like weeks.

"He's going through a phase, Ponyboy just don't worry about it." That was all Darry said.

I just kept hopping that I would wake up and Johnny would be lying next to me, propped up on his elbow, glancing down at me and then slowly leaning down to give me a kiss. I woke up today and saw the spot empty. I grabbed the pillow and hugged it. Walking to school on sunny days, like today; would be just another day of glancing over my shoulder to see if a Soc was following me. The guys was held up at the house watching TV.

"Be safe." Darry called over his shoulder as I walked out.

I shook my head to forget about this morning as I walked to the Dingo to grab a Coke and a candy bar when I saw on of my best friends: Curly Shepard.

Curly and I been friends for some time but he always got in trouble a lot, even his older brother would yell at him. He always played dare games with me or play chicken. One time me and Curly played chicken once with cigarettes against each others knuckles and Tim came by and knocked our heads together saying if we ever done that again he would kill us.

Curly's hair was slick-brown and he always drank in whatever mood he was in. I slowly walked over to him, he didn't go to flames in the sun so he wasn't a vampire. I am now cautious around people I never know if they would sink they're fangs into my neck.

"Hey, Curly." I waved at him.

He turned around and leapt off his seat to give me a one arm hug.

"Hey, Ponyboy," He let me go, his brown eyes twinkled in excitement. "Long time no see. So how's Johnny doing?" He had to bring up Johnny.

"He's doing...okay." I shrugged the sad feeling that fell over me. He narrowed his eyes at me, but didn't say anything about my hesitation at the end. Or how poor the 'okay' sounded as it did to me, which made me cringe.

"Whatever," He bought me a Coke and we went to sit on his car hood to catch up on some good times. We talked about who got shot or who stole what for why and when. He talked about when he was in the reformatory.

"I was doing a six month sentence," he threw his Coke on the ground. "but I got out early for good behavior." I was thinking that was what Dallas Winston would do.

He turned toward me. "So how have you been?" I took a sip of my Coke and shrugged. "I'm fine; my school work is a little behind but I'm doing fine. Been sick for two days and just now getting over a massive headache." He nodded. Taking a bit of my candy and we sat there in a comfortable silence.

"How have you been?" Curly smiled. "Oh, everywhere and anywhere but recently having feelings for a certain person." That made me curious. I saw his cheeks flush, he kept his eyes down and avoiding my gaze. I smiled, "Really? Who?" He put his hands on the hood and learned back. "Do I have to guess?" He smirked and nodded.

"I'll give you a hint, he's a greaser." That lowered my options...wait...did Curly say he? Since when was Curly into guys? "Okay is it someone I know?"

"Yep, and it's someone in your gang." I kept thinking.

"Is it Dally, Two-bit, or Steve? I got to tell you that Soda will be mad if you went after Steve." He got frustrated. "Its YOU, you are so obvious. It's always been you."

That got me flustered. Was I that obvious? "Really?"

"Yes..." He trailed off. His hand was on my neck and brought me closer his lips landing on mine. I struggled. His lips moved against mine, his eyes closed. I tried pushing away when I felt his tongue run along my bottom lip. During the struggle, we landed on the sidewalk and he pinned my hands above my head. I tried squirming to get his hold lose, but his groin met mine and he groaned. His hands went lower and stopped at my button jeans.

I made a fist and punched him in the face. I gasped for breath as he held his nose, checking for blood. "I'm with Johnny," I yelled. Thankful for no one being around for this. "You can't date someone who is unable to grow old." He seethed. His nose broken and blood running down his chin.

"He's a vampire your a human. A meat full of blood for him to chew on. Why do you think he left in the first place?" I stopped breathing. He smirked at me, I wish I hit him harder. "How did you know about Johnny being gone?"

"I have my ways," He wipped the blood away, then started walking to the driver side. "What do you mean? What did you do to Johnny?" I yelled. My chest felt tight, I never been too angry at someone. My nails dug into my skin and clenching my jaw together that I thought my teeth was going to break.

"Nothing Tim and Dally took him somewhere and they won't be back till later tonight. I just seeing what you do." He climbed in behind the wheel and closed the door. He rolled down the window and popped his head out, "Just so you know I won't give up on you. One day Johnny will leave you or hurt you." He started the car backing up and looking at me one more time. He drove away with my hands bleeding and my teeth hurting.

What he said that he will be back rose my hopes. I threw away my trash and started heading for home forgetting about school. I was walking up my steps when the door opened, an angry looking Darry was standing in the threshold. "Why did I get a call from the school that you didn't come back?" He crossed his arms. The bags under his eyes present.

"I heard that Dally and Tim took Johnny? Why did you guys lie to me and where did they take him?" I heard my voice crack. He groaned. "Who told you this?" He asked, "Curly." He growled and muttered under his breath about what an idiot he is.

"They took him back to Windrixville he had attacked Paul when he bit you. He accidently drank Paul's blood and he fell to the ground." I looked at him, my heart racing. "Other vampires blood is poison to us, we can't drink from other vampires unless it's from the one who turned us. Dally turned Johnny so he fed Johnny his blood and they took him to the church, hopping the scene will bring him back to normal. We didn't want to tell you because you would have went with them."

I probably would have done that. "Are they really coming back tonight?" Darry shook his head. "I don't know Pony, my guess is yes. For the sake of all human kind get in here before I drag you in." I laughed. Feeling lighter than I felt in two days.

The rest of the gang was watching TV I went to my room and grabbed a book. Curling up on the bed reading where I left off. I haven't even read a full sentence when Darry came in. "I don't think you should be reading you need to be doing homework. Do you want anything to eat?" I nodded sighing when he threw my pack at me. I reluctantly started writing my essay for English.

It was five when I got done. I walked to the dining room where a plate of eggs and bacon was there waiting for me. "Who made this?"

"Soda." Came the response. "WHAT?" He yelled at Darry. I giggled under my breath at the look on his face. Steve smiled and thrown his head back laughed. Soda looked at Steve and smiled his body shaking from Steve's laughing where he was leaning on. Two-bit laughed too, Darry coughed covering a chuckle and a smile. The air felt light everyone smiling and laughing.

I ate my dinner or breakfast whatever it was and went to mine and Soda's room. I was so tuckered out that I put on my pajama bottoms and fell asleep on top of the covers. I woke up a few hours later to someone tucking me in. I didn't realize I fell back asleep when I woke up again to see someone in my room. The light was turned on and what I saw stopped my heart.

"Johnny!" I jumped up to hug him but got tangled in the sheets. He caught me before I hit the floor and smiled at me. "You are a klutz Pony did anyone tell you that?" He helped me out so I was toe-to-toe with him. I pulled him into a kiss. His lips and mine moving together and I was losing air. I let go, reluctantly, and smiled at him. "Are you okay?" I asked. He gave me a soft smile, "Yes, I'm okay now."

I let out a shaky breath. He pulled me into his arms and I never wanted this moment to end. Him holding me and rubbing my back. "Do you want to got back to bed?" I nodded. He went to leave but I grabbed his wrist, "Stay."

He sighed, "Okay." He laid down and pulled me with him. I laid my head on his chest, his arm around my waist and it was really quiet.

"I love you, Johnny." I glanced up at him resting my chin on his chest. He pulled me up by my chin and said against my lips, "I love you too, Pony." He finally kissed me. He pulled away and I laid back down and fell asleep. His arm around my waist I felt safe.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut...that's all I'm gonna say. Wait I lied, I'm not an expert so if its cringy....I'm sorry.

I woke up this morning to see Johnny hadn't left. His eyes were focused on the ceiling. I slowly sat up and stretched scratching my eyes from the sleepiness. His eyes shifted to me. I rolled on top of him, pretending to sleep. He let out a breathy laugh, "Pony I know your awake," Nothing slips past those vampire senses.

I groaned, "Please I want to sleep," I mumbled. He moved his arms behind his head, smirking down at me. I rested my chin on my arm and stared at Johnny. He stared at me. I crawled what little space was left and kissed him. He cupped my neck and made that made the kiss more heated. He put his hands on my hips and sat me down on his lap. He sat up with his hands moved to hold my ass. He gave a good squeeze and it felt good. I let out a tiny gasp against his lips as his fingers worked. My clothes were getting tighter and tighter.

He palmed me through my pajama bottoms. I let out a deep moan, "Getting excited?" Johnny smirked and kissed me neck. He kissed the spot over my collar bone and sucked. His teeth which weren't fangs had left a mark. I felt Johnny's erection through his jeans the bulge very evident. He pulled my pants till my thighs leaving me in my underwear.

The cold air hit my erection which was leaking at the tip. He finally dragged my underwear down to my thighs with my pants freeing my dick. He made small circles around from my stomach, his finger making a slow line down to it. Circling the tip and bringing his finger which had pre-come on it and licked it. I grinned and rubbed myself on his stomach. A string of come connecting to his shirt.

He wrapped a hand around the shaft and rubbed his thumb on the tip. I felt so close the pressure building up and I was ready to explode if Johnny didn't let me come. "Please…Johnny I want to," He pressed his lips to mine as he started jacking me off. My breathing started coming irregular and soon I was coming in his hand.

Out of breath I felt better. It was amazing. Johnny used his hand with my come on it and put it down his pants where he made himself come. "That was amazing Pony, your amazing." He whispered and kissed me again. I finally pulled my underwear and pajama back up so we laid back down. It was a few minutes of silence and I couldn't stand it.

He started running his hands through my hair, "Johnny?"

He grunted to say he was listening. "When did you become a vampire?" I hopped it wasn't too soon. He sat up and covered his face. He let out a sigh, before leaning back, propping himself against the wall. I sat up and leaned into him. He twiddled his thumbs in his lap and looked at the wall. "You remember when I got jumped by those Socs."

I nodded. "Well, Dally took me to Buck's to patch me up. He said some stuff about how it would help me defend myself, I was close to unconsciousness so I didn't hear anything else. I accepted. I felt like I was on fire. I felt my heart stop, then I woke up hearing things like never before. I could hear a bug crawling on the window. I smelled a beer stain on the floor that was there for a week. I heard an argument that was two blocks down the road something about finical problems. I felt strong physically but mentally…I'm still scared of the Socs. I'm terrified at what I can do when I killed Bob. I feel like I can't control myself when I'm with you. I might hurt you. The time at the church helped me gain control over myself and my feelings for you." He turned to me, "I love you Ponyboy Curtis."

"I know." He petted his hair when he put his head on my chest. "I never understood my feelings for you till I saw how terrified you were when Bob showed up at the park. I didn't want you to look at me like that. Then the church, I would hear your heartbeat and the blood pumping through your veins. I wanted to drain you dry, but I would have never forgiven myself."

"I always liked listening to your heartbeat. When it would spike up when I came near, it would rise up at the park and rumble. I wanted to do at least something to calm you down. When Paul bit you, and you passed out from the blood and venom coursing through your systems, your heart was slowly down. I felt so enraged when he did that. I went after him and tore his neck he ran away like the other Socs. I was on fire not the kind when I was turned. It was like I was dying and it wouldn't stop till I tasted something sweet. Dally and Tim picked me up and took me to the church again. I woke up two days later. They said I fell down and was dying."

He got off the bed and started pacing. "I thought of you the entire time. I kept thinking of what you said. I just want you to stay gold Pony. Never change. Okay?"

"Okay." I heard a knock on my door. And Two-bit's voice came in, "Hey I was just wondering if Johnny wanted to come and play football." Johnny shrugged. "Sure, Pony do you want to come?" I nodded. "Where is it going to be at?"

"The vacant lot. It's really cloudy so maybe we could play a game." Two-bit grinned and we walked out of the house. Darry and Dally and Two-bit was having a conversation all on their own, while Steve and Soda held hands just like me and Johnny. I put an arm around his waist and rested my head on his shoulder as we walked. We eventually made it to the lot where it was quiet. It has been quiet the past couple of days and everyone was enjoying the silence.

Soda pulled me to the side as the rest of the guys were picking teams. "Since this is a rough sport Darry said that you shouldn't play in this." I stared at him my eyebrows raised, "Why does Darry not want me to play? I played football with you guys all the time." Soda put his hands on my shoulders. "We held back on you. I just want you to watch this time maybe next time you can play."

"Alright," I conceded. He flashed over to Steve and Two-bit who was their team. I sat on the grass, propping myself with my hands. The game was going on for what seemed like forever. They were faster and physically probably could break me in half if I caught the ball. I cringed whenever they got tackled cause it looked like it hurt.

My mind started to wonder. Johnny looked upset when I asked about how he got turned. Was he not ready to tell me? Did I push it too far? I picked at a piece of glass that I plucked from the ground and twiddled it between my fingers. Wondering for the first time thinking would things be like they are now if the guys were human. Maybe Johnny would love to see the sunsets as much as I do? Maybe I could get the gang to watch a sunset. Would they change or stay the same?

I jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder shaking me. "It's just me come on lets go home it looks like it's about to rain." Darry said. We all hurriedly to the house before it started pouring. The wind slowly picked up. The gang picked places to sleep for the night and settled down. Steve and Soda laid on the couch, Darry sat in his recliner while Dally and Two-bit sat on the floor. I grabbed Johnny's wrist and dragged him to my room.

"I'm sorry if I brought up the whole turning thing so quick." He looked at me, "Why do you think I'm angry at you for asking why I was turned. Darry said that he told you about how the others were turned and to take my time to tell you." I sat down on the bed. "Do you want me to read a chapter from the book I gave you?" He held up Great Expectations and sat next to me.

I fixed myself so that my upper body and started reading. The rain stopped and was a light drizzle and the wind died down. I realized I read about half the book when I had to stop to take a break. "I didn't realize that I read so much." He shrugged and turned to me. "I don't mind, I like hearing you read." He looked at the sheets picking at a loose string.

I folded the corner and put it on the nightstand. I crawled over to him and brought him in a kiss. "What was that for?" I smiled. "Nothing I just love you. Is that a good reason?" I asked innocently. He smiled and brought me closer to him. I ran my fingers through his hair as I sat in his lap. I could feel his arousal and deepened the kiss.

He cupped my butt massaging it. I let out a deep moan as I grinded down on him. My jeans were getting tight and the air in the room was getting thick. I pulled my shirt over my head and went back to kissing him. He laid back and pulled me down his hands resting on my hips and dipped into my pants. He started to unbutton my jeans when the door opened and closed real fast. I groaned and rolled off Johnny waiting for the intruder to come back. Darry entered the room and glared at Johnny.

"I did not see what I thought I saw." I rolled my eyes. Seriously out of all the stupid things that I could have done was forget to lock the stupid door!


	12. Chapter 12

It was getting boring at the house. I been stuck in the house with the gang for at least five days. There hasn't been a Soc in sight and I still don't know why I'm stuck in the house. I thought Darry finally went overboard protecting me but I have Johnny for that. So I was laying here on the couch with my head in Johnny's lap trying to sleep when Two-bit came rushing through the door. He immediately fell to the floor.

He screamed in pain. Two-bit doesn't scream in pain or for anything really so something was really wrong. Darry and Dally picked Two-bit up and sat him on the couch me and Johnny got up from. He had a cut from his forehead that went to the other side of his face. It was slowly healing, but the arrow sticking out of his chest was scaring me. It was in the middle of his chest, a few more inches to the left and Two-bit would have died.

"What happened? Are you okay? Who did this to you?" I was shushed by Steve who glared at me. I glared right back. Johnny was running a comforting hand up and down my back. He must hear my heart racing cause the guys were having a difficult time concentrating. "It's going to be okay, Two-bit." Darry calmly said.

"No its not, how would you like an arrow sticking out of your chest, Darryl!" He screamed at Darry. His eyes were red and his canines extended into the familiar fangs that I knew too well. I laughed. Two-bit can make a joke in any crisis, even with an arrow in his chest. He glared at me, but that slowly melted then the rest joined in. It was a tense couple of days and everyone just needed to laugh. "So who did this?" Soda finally asked, he had hands on his knees to keep himself from falling over.

"A hunter," he winced, "I was walking over here after visiting Kathy when I smelled a weird scent. It smelled like us but it really wasn't. Anyway, I kept going for about a mile when an arrow came out of nowhere and landed next to me. They tried to hit me several times and one got lucky. I laid there for a bit. They must have used something on the arrow cause I can feel myself dying." He let out a whistle like the sound of an arrow getting released from its quiver.

"We ain't letting that happen, I contacted Tim and he's coming right over to help." Darry must have called him when Two-bit was telling his story. He made his fingers tip an invisible cowboy hat, "That's mighty kind of you, but I'm a loner, and a loners got to be alone." He rested his head on the arm of the couch. Darry put one hand on his shoulder and grasped the arrow at the part where it was near Two-bit's chest. "On three…one…two….three!" He pulled it out so fast I heard Two-bit yelp and it went quiet.

Two-bit laid there panting. He looked down and a small tear in his shirt and blood on everything. "Sorry about the blood." Darry patted his shoulder gently. "It's okay, Tim's here." Tim walked in after Darry finished it. He nodded at Dally, who winked back at him. I saw the exchange and smiled. Dally needed someone in his life about like Soda.

"You stupid greaser, why did you go get yourself shot for?" Tim asked, his voice deep. "It ain't my fault, why were there people shooting me?" Tim ran a hand through his greasy hair. "It's because they are hunters."

"What?" I asked. Tim looked at me then at Darry. "The kid shouldn't hear this."

"He's been a part of this for a while now, he needs to know about everything." He said. Tim nodded. "They came from somewhere in the West, don't know how they heard about it. They heard about the rumble and how it was over some Soc getting killed and Ponyboy here getting bit." He stared at me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Why did it always have to be me?

"Why are they hear?" I asked. "Through the grape vine. That's all I can say. The arrow that penetrated your friend here is a special kind of arrow. It's mixed with silver and holy water, if this went to your heart you would have fell right where you stand. Now I came here not to tell stories."

He went to the couch and bit his wrist. I closed my eyes and turned away, putting my head on Johnny's shoulder. The comforting hand came back. It was quiet for a bit then Two-bit was able to get off the couch where Darry made to clean it. "Let's go to bed." Johnny whispered in my ear." I nodded felt like I was going to get sick. I finally was able to get in pajamas and lay down in bed.

Johnny pressed his chest to my back, his arm was curled protectively over my waist and he laid his head on top of mine. I didn't go to sleep for a while, kept thinking on how this was going to turn out. Maybe we would be lucky and won't run into these hunters. But knowing my luck, we would do just that.


End file.
